1. Field
The present invention relates to data processing systems generally and specifically, to methods and apparatus for security in a data processing system.
2. Background
Security in data processing and information systems, including communications systems, contributes to accountability, fairness, accuracy, confidentiality, operability, as well as a plethora of other desired criteria. Encryption, or the general field of cryptography, is used in electronic commerce, wireless communications, broadcasting, and has an unlimited range of applications. In electronic commerce, encryption is used to prevent fraud in and to verify financial transactions. In data processing systems, encryption is used to verify a participant's identity. Encryption is also used to prevent hacking, protect Web pages, and prevent access to confidential documents, as well as a variety of other security measures.
Systems employing cryptography, often referred to as cryptosystems, can be partitioned into symmetric cryptosystems and asymmetric cryptosystems. A symmetric encryption system uses a same key (i.e., the secret key) to encrypt and decrypt a message. Whereas an asymmetric encryption system uses a first key (i.e., the public key) to encrypt a message and uses a second, different key (i.e., the private key) to decrypt it. Asymmetric cryptosystems are also called public key cryptosystems. A problem exists in symmetric cryptosystems in the secure provision of the secret key from a sender to a recipient. Further, a problem exists when keys or other encryption mechanisms are updated frequently. In a data processing system, methods of securely updating keys incur additional processing time, memory storage and other processing overhead. In a wireless communication system, updating keys uses valuable bandwidth otherwise available for transmission.
The prior art does not provide a method for updating keys to a large group of mobile stations in order that they may access an encrypted broadcast. There is a need, therefore, for a secure and efficient method of updating keys in a data processing system. Further, there is a need for a secure and efficient method of updating keys in a wireless communication system.